Wardrobe hand luggage



7 Oct. 1', 1929. B. M. HAMLIN I 1,730,137

" WARDROBE munweema Filed Dec. 19, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 36/2 jiwizz Zzi z, I

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WARDROBE HAND LUGGAGE Filed Dec. 19, 192'! 2 sneets sneet 2 Patented Dot. 1, 1929' en rant nit- BEN IVI. HAMLIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASfiIGIWOR TO J. V. I/IEYEBING' TRUNK COME IPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS wanna-013E HAND Lueoiien Application filed. December 19, 1927. Serial No; 241,003.

This invention relates to wardrobe hand luggage, and its principal object is to provide a. box like receptacle which may be carried by hand and having a cover on which garment hangers are removably mounted, whereby garments and other apparel may be suspended in the cover and in some cases, partly suspended in the receptacle.

Another object is to provide a receptacle of which the cover is so arranged that garments which are draped over the hangers may be suspended therefrom in a substantially straight unwrinkled condition and without any sharp bends or folds at the place where they extend from the cover and into the receptacle.

Another object is to provide a pocket in the cover, formed by a. lid hinged to the cover and inclined with respect to the cover, whereby the lid may act as a guide board for directing the lower ends of the garments into the receptacle when the hangers with the garments thereon are placed on the cover.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the course of this specification and with all of said objects and advantages in view, this invention consists in the several novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter fully set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. p

The invention is clearly illustrated in the drawings accompanying this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a wardrobe hand luggage embodying a simple form of the present invention, showing the same with the cover raised; Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section thereof with the cover raised; Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section showing the device stood on end with the cover closed; Fig. 5 is a detail, fragmental, perspective view illustrating one of the garment hangers and a supporting rail, and Fig. 6 is a detail fragmental cross section taken on the line 6'6 of Fig. 2.

Referring to said drawings, which illustrate a simple embodiment of the present invention, the reference character 10 designates a box likereceptacle, preferably of rectangular form, and 11 designates a cover hinged at one end to the receptacle by hinges 12. The receptacle and cover meet along edges parallel with the bottom of the receptacle. Suitable locks 13 are provided on the receptacle for engagement with hasps 3 on the cover for locking the cover to the receptacle, and a handle 14 is secured to the end of the receptacle opposite the hinges 12, and furnishes means whereby'the device may be carriedabout. l Vhile the device" may he stood on "end (see Fig. 4) and is carried about in an upright position, it may rest on the bottom l5of the receptacle and is placed in such position when being packed or unpacked or when placed under a railway car seat.

Adjacent the end of the receptacle to which the cover is hinged, the receptacle is provided with a partition 16 which extends transversely of the receptacle and parallel with the hinges.- Said partition is preferably arranged so as to be'removable from the receptacle and as shown is slidably secured between two pairs of closely spaced cleats 17, which are fastened to the inner faces of the side pieces 18 of the receptacle.

Said partition dividesthe receptacleinto a large compartment 19 and a small compartment 20, the large compartment being intended for receiving hats and other articles of wearing apparel and other articles which it is desired tocarry in the box and the smaller compartment 20 being intended for receiving small articlesand the lower ends of the garments supported by the cover. Pockets 21 are formed on the inner faces of the sides 18 and partition 16, by suitable fabric material having the usual elastic edge portions and secured to the inner faces of the sides and partition. Said pockets are intended for the reception of small, fiat articles as is well understood. Flexible straps 22- secured to the inner faces of the sides 18 of the receptacle and to the inner faces of the sides 23 of the cover are provided for holding the cover in its open position.

Secured to the inner faces of the sides 23 of the cover 11 are two hanger rails 2 f (see F 5) upon which are removably secured the garment hangers 25 for suspending the garments on the cover. The rails may comprise metal stripsor bars having bent up ends 26 that are fastened to the inner faces of the sides 23 and back 27 of the cover. Therails extend forward from the back 27 and are located in the angle formed by said back 2'? and the sides 23. The main portion 28 of each bar extends parallel with the top 29 and side 23 of the cover and the front end of each main portion has a short transverse part 30 bent at right angles to the main portion and extending to the inner face of the side 23 of the cover where it joins with one of the bent up end parts 26. The short transverse part 30 of each rail is preferably made narrower than the main portion, the purpose of which will presently appear.

The garment hangers 25 may be in the form of flat bars, each having a notched end 31 arranged to be slipped upon the rails 24. The notched ends may be formed in separate metal pieces 32 secured to the main portions of the bars and said notches are in the form of under cut notches having oppositely disposed overhanging lugs 33 that are adapted to embrace the rails 24 and form detachable connections between the garment hangers and rails. The short transverse parts 30 of the rails are made narrow enough for the lugs 33 to pass by said transverse parts in placing the garment hangers on the rails and in removing them therefrom. This arrangement also provides means whereby the hangers are prevented from accidentally sliding off the rails. a

At the hinged end of the cover 11 is a flat rectangular member 3 1, which inclines from the inner face of the back 27 of the cover toward the front edge of the bottom 35 thereof, and acts as a lid for a small pocket or compartment 36 contained in the angle formed by the back 27 and bottom Fasteners 3-? are provided at the upper end of the lid 3% for securing the lid to the back 2? of the cover 11. By unfastening the upper end of the lid, it may be swung forward on its hinges to ob tain access to the pocket 36.

Elastic straps 37, 38 are secured to the cover 11 and lid 34 at places adjacent the sides thereof and as a preference each strap is composed of two pieces secured together at the middle of the cover by buckles 39. The elastic straps are intended for holding the suspended garments in place in the cover.

' In case it is desired to reduce the size of the device or in case it is desired to carry longer garments than the ones now in vogue, an extension of the smaller compartment 20 is provided, as shown at 20, which extension lies parallel with the bottom 15 of the receptacle and may be formed below or at the side of a removable false bottom 15, which false bottom may comprise part of a removable tray located above the compartment extension 2O or may comprise a separate false bottom or partition member. As shown, the false bottom l5 is supported upon cleats lo secured to the inner faces of the sides 18 of the receptacle, and it extends from the top l0 of the receptacle to the partition 16. The partition 16 may rest upon the end portion of the false bottom 15 and if desired a catch 15 may be provided for securing the false bottom in place on the cleats 18. On the underside of the false bottom 15 may be secured a cushion or pad 15 which is adapted to engage with the portions of the garments contained in compartn'ient extension 20.

In packing or unpacking the box it is laid on its side and the cover raised (see Figs. 1 and ll hen garments are to be carried on the hangers, the garment hangers to be used are disconnected from the hanger rails and a garment draped over each garment hanger used. The garment hangers are then replaced on the rails, care being taken to lower the bottom ends of the garments into the small compartment 20 of the receptacle, in case more space is required than the cover will accommodate. The inclined member 34; prevents the lower ends of the garments from becoming bunched in the angle between the back 27 and bottom 35 of the cover and serves to direct the lower ends of the garments into the small compartment 20. In case any of the garments are too long to be freely suspended between the bottom of the small compartment QOand garment hangers, the partition 16 and false bottom 15 may be removed from the receptacle thereby uncovering the compartment extension. 20, and the lower ends of the garments may then be laid flat in said compartment extension and the com partment 20, and the upper ends draped over the garment hangers so that the upper parts of the garments will be suspended from the garment hanger and the remainder will lie along the bottom 15 of the receptacle 10. The false bottom 15 and partition 16 are then replaced, whereby the lower part of the garments will be confined in the compartment extension 20 and compartment. The cushion or pad 15 on the lower side of the false bottom presses against the garments thereunder whenever the compartment extension is filled and holds them in place. lVith this arrangement, long garments may be packed in the device without becoming wrinkled.

After the garments have been hung in place, the straps 37, 38 are passed across the front of the garments and the ends of the companion straps buckled together. other compartments and pockets of the device may be packed as usual after which the cover is lowered and locked to the receptacle 10.

The device is made of a suitable size whereby it may be carried conveniently by hand and when carried about or stood up on end as seen in Fig. 4 the garments remain suspended from the garment hangers. It will be observed that while the device is practically of the same size as ordinary hat boxes, garments may be conveniently packed in the device and carried about without much, if any, danger of becoming wrinkled. Furthermore, that any selected garment may be removed without disordering the remain der, because the garment hangers with the garments thereon located in front of the selected one, may be readily lifted out of the cover, the selected garment removed and the others replaced. Furthermore, it will be observed that the distance between the garment hangers and bottom of the small compartment 20 is of sufficient extent to accommodate ladies wearing apparel, especially when the garments are folded over when placed upon the garment hangers.

More or less variation of the exact details of construction is possible without departing from the spirit of this invention; I desire, therefore, not to limit myself to the exact form of the construction shown and described, but intend, in the following claims to pointout all of the invention disclosed herein.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In wardrobe hand luggage, the combination of a box like receptacle, a cover hingedthereto at one end, a garment hanger supported in said cover at the end opposite the hinges, and an inclined member contained in the cover at its hinged end and serving as a lid for a compartment in the cover and as a guide for directing a garment, suspended by the garment hanger, into the box like receptacle.

2. In wardrobe hand luggage, the combination of a box like receptacle and a trans verse partition therein adjacent one end for dividing said receptacle into a relatively large compartment and a relatively narrow compartment, a cover hinged to the receptacle at the end containing the narrow compartment, hanger rails secured to said cover at the end opposite the hinged end, a garment hanger removably supported on said hanger rails in position to suspend garments, partly in said cover and partly in a said smaller compartment of the receptacle,

The

and a'sloping guide member inthe hinged end of the cover adaptedto form a lid for a compartment in the cover and serving to direct a garment, suspended by the garment hanger, into said smaller compartment.

3. In wardrobe hand luggage, thecombination of a box likereceptacle, a removable partition therein extending transversely thereof near one end and dividingsaid receptacle intoa relatively large compartment and a relatively narrowcompartment, a cover hinged to said receptacle at the end containing the narrow compartment, hanger rails secured in said cover adjacent the end opposite the hinges, garment hangers removably secured to said hanger rails, and a lid hinged to the cover adjacent its hinged end extending at an incline with respect to said cover and arranged to direct garments, suspended by said garment hangers, into said smaller receptacle.

4:. In wardrobe hand luggage, the combination with a pair of hanger rails having hanger supporting portions formed of flat bars and transverse end portions which are as high as but narrower than the hanger supporting portions, of a garment hanger having notches formed in its ends, and adapted to receive said hanger supporting portions of the hanger rails, and oppositely disposed lugs overhanging said notches and adapted to embrace the hanger supporting portions of the rails to thereby prevent disconnection between the rails and garment hanger, said narrower transverse end portions acting as a stop for the garment hanger but permitting removal and replacement thereof.

5. In wardrobe hand luggage, the combination of a box like receptacle, a removable partition therein dividing the receptacle into a large compartment and a small compartment, a removable false bottom separate from the partition and co-operating with the real bottom of the receptacle to form an extension of the small compartment, a cover hinged to the receptacle at the end containing the small compartment and forming a continuation of said small compartment when the cover is closed, and a garment hanger secured in the cover at the end opposite the hinges, over which a garment may be draped and contained in the cover, the small compartment and its extension. I

6. In wardrobe hand luggage, the combi nation of a box like receptacle and cover therefor, a removable transverse partition in said receptacle dividing the same into a large compartment and into a small compartment, and a separately removable false bottom extending from said partition to an end member of the receptacle, said false bottom being provided on its underside with a pad and forming with the real bottom of the receptacle, an extension for said small compartment,

said pad being arranged for engagement with apparel contained insaid compartment extension. c

7 In Wardrobe hand luggage, the combination of a receptacle and a cover hinged thereto, two angularly disposed separate partition members removably secured in said receptacle and forming With the sides and one end of the receptacle a removably tray, one partition member dividing the receptacle into a large compartment and into a small compartment and the other partition member forming one side of an extension of said small compartment.

BEN M. HAMLIN. 

